Salvia plant named ‘Bocoffla’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Salvia  plant named ‘Bocoffla’ that is characterized by its densely branched, compact plant habit, its laciniate shaped leaves, its foliage, peduncles and flowers that are densely pubescent, its flowers that are light pink in color, and its individual flowers that are held in an average angle of 45° to 90° to vertical.

Botanical classification: Salvia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Bocoffla’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rightsapplication filed on Nov. 28, 2019, application No. 2019/3174. Therehave been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed plantbreeder's rights documents. This application is co-pending with a U.S.Plant Patent Application filed for a plant derived from the samebreeding program that is entitled Salvia Plant Named ‘Bocofpea’ (U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/192,165).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaof hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Bocoffla’. ‘Bocoffla’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscapeuse.

The new Salvia arose from a breeding program conducted by the Inventorat a nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop a new Salvia cultivar with unique leaf shapes,flower colors and plant shape.

The new Salvia originated by allowing open pollination to occur in Julyof 2015 between an unnamed proprietary seedling of Salvia jurisicii asthe female parent and various other species and cultivars of Salviaplanted in the area. The male parent is therefore unknown. ‘Bocoffla’was selected as a unique single plant resulting from the resultingseedlings in summer of 2018.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theinventor by stem cuttings for further trials in summer of 2017 inBoskoop, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cutting has shownthat the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Bocoffla’ as a unique cultivar of Salvia.

-   -   1. ‘Bocoffla’ exhibits a densely branched, compact plant habit.    -   2. ‘Bocoffla’ exhibits laciniate shaped leaves.    -   3. ‘Bocoffla’ exhibits foliage, peduncles and flowers that are        densely pubescent.    -   4. ‘Bocoffla’ exhibits flowers that are light pink in color.    -   5. ‘Bocoffla’ exhibits individual flowers that are held in an        average angle of 45° to 90° to vertical.

The female parent differs from ‘Bocoffla’ in having a spreading planthabit, leaves that are pinnatifid to deeply laciniate in shape, foliage,peduncles and flowers that have pubescent hairs that are longer inlength, individual flowers that are held in an upside-down angle, andflowers that are dark blue in color. ‘Bocoffla’ can also be mostcompared to Salvia kuznetsovii ‘Pink Form’ (not patented), Salvianemorosa ‘Sensation Rose’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,230), and Salvia‘Bocofpea’. ‘Pink Form’ is similar to ‘Bocoffla’ in having flowers thatare light pink in color. ‘Pink Form’ differs from ‘Bocoffla’ in having ataller plant height, a more open and relatively loose plant shape,entire margins, flowers that are larger in size, and flowers that areheld vertical. ‘Sensation Rose’ is similar to ‘Bocoffla’ in havingflowers that are pink in color. ‘Sensation Rose’ differs from ‘Bocoffla’in having a more spreading plant habit, entire margins, and flowers thatare darker pink in color, and held vertical. ‘Bocofpea’ differs from‘Bocoffla’ in having flowers that are light violet to violet-blue incolor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance anddistinct characteristics of a 6-month-old plant of the new Salvia asgrown in a 15-cm container from 3 plugs per container in Boskoop, TheNetherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant of ‘Bocoffla’in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘Bocoffla’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Bocoffla’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Salvia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar 6 months inage as grown outdoors in 15-cm containers from 3 plugs per container inBoskoop, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, asit has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Average of 4 months from late May to late            September in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Broadly spreading, upright, densely branched,            and compact.        -   Plant size.—Average of 23.7 cm in height (soil level to top            of foliar plane), average of 36.5 cm in height (soil level            to top of floral plane), 46 cm in spread as grown in a 15 cm            container and up to 50 cm in height and spread in the            landscape.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 10.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Vegetative stem cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.        -   Root development.—20 days for root initiation, 60 days to            produce a young plant from rooted cutting.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—4-angled.        -   Stem color.—New growth; 143B, mature stems; 138A.        -   Stem size.—Average of 17.8 cm in length (excluding            inflorescence), 2 mm in diameter.        -   Stem surface.—Slightly glossy, moderately covered with short            hairs, average of 1.5 mm in length, N155A in color.        -   Stem fragrance.—When rubbed, the stems are pleasantly            fragrant.        -   Internode length.—Average of 4.5 cm.        -   Branching.—Average of 9 primary branches, 45 secondary            branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrowly ovate to narrowly oblong and laciniate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Acuminate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, 143C in color on upper surface, 145A            in color on lower surface.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenate, lobed; shallow to medium, divergent.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces non-rugose, upper surface            smooth, slightly glossy to very slightly glossy, lower            surface smooth, dull, main vein sparsely covered with short            hairs 1 mm in length, N155A in color.        -   Leaf size.—Up to 4.3 cm in length and 1.7 cm in width.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface NN137B, young lower surface            138A, mature upper surface NN137A, mature lower surface            NN137D.        -   Petioles.—Average of 6 mm in length, 2 mm in width at widest            point, 0.75 mm at narrowest point, strong, color; upper            surface 145B to 146D, margins 137B, lower surface 146D,            margins 137B, both surfaces slightly glossy, upper surface            glabrous, lower surface glabrous with margins that are            moderately to densely covered with short pubescent hairs 1.5            mm in length, N155A in color.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal verticillaster.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Individual flowers average of            10 days, very freely flowering, self-cleaning.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 12.6 cm in length and 2.1            cm in width.        -   Flower type.—Single, labiate.        -   Flower number.—An average of 70 flowers per inflorescence,            1,300 per plant.        -   Flower aspect.—Outward to slightly nodding, individual            flowers twisted in an average angle of 45°.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower buds.—Obovate in shape, average of 4 mm in length and            2 mm in diameter, color; 143C, tinged 176B on the upper            surface, immature sepals 63D, average of 1,700 per plant.        -   Flower size.—Average of 3.5 cm in length and about 8 mm in            diameter, throat diameter 1 mm, tube length 3.5 mm, tube            diameter 1.25 mm.        -   Peduncle (rachis).—Quadrangulate, an average of 15.2 cm in            length and 1.8 mm in width, color 138A, strong, matte,            surface is densely covered with very short hairs 0.3 mm in            length, N155A in color, held at angles ranging between            vertical and 30° to vertical.        -   Pedicels.—An average of 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width,            color N77D, strong, matte, surface is densely covered with            very short hairs 0.2 mm in length, N155A in color, angle            ranging between 20° and 90°.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, about 4.5 mm in length and 3 mm in            width.        -   Sepals.—2, oblanceolate in shape, 55% fused, 4.5 mm in            length, 2 mm in width, apex emarginate to praemorse, tip of            sepal cleft, margins are moderately covered with very short            glandular hairs average of 2 mm in length, too small to            measure color, upper surface smooth and glabrous, matte,            lower surface moderately pubescent with very short hairs;            average of 0.5 mm in length, N155A, matte, color; upper            surface when opening and fully open 145B, veined 144A, lower            surface when opening and fully open 145B, veined 146B, upper            sepal 143A, proximal end 145B, veined 176C.        -   Petals.—Labiate, 1 upper lip, 1 lower lip, average of 2 per            flower, 1 whorl, lower 43.5% fused, upper lip; 4.5 mm in            length, 1 mm in width, oblanceolate in shape and folded,            emarginate tip, fused into tube, entire, non-undulate,            glabrous, slightly velvety, lower lip densely pubescent with            short hairs 0.5 mm in length, 75B in color, color; upper            surface when opening and fully open 75D, lower surface when            opening and fully open 75C to 75D, lower lip; 4.5 mm in            length, 3.5 mm in width, spathulate in shape with two            smaller lateral lobes, obtuse tip, fused into tube, entire,            non- undulate, glabrous, slightly velvety, lower lip densely            pubescent with short hairs 0.5 mm in length, 75B in color,            color; upper and lower surface when opening and fully open            between 75C and 76C, lower surface when opening and fully            open 75C to 75D, upper and lower lip; throat and tube            texture glabrous, slightly velvety, matte, flower throat            color N75A, flower tube color N155A.        -   Floral bracts.—Below each whorl of flowers there are two            bracts, oppositely placed, broad ovate to reniform in shape,            5 mm in length, 4 mm in width, broad cuneate base, top            abruptly acute, both sides matte, smooth and glabrous,            margins entire, moderately pubescent with very short hairs;            average of 0.5 mm in length, N155A in color, both surfaces            143A in color, base 145D.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, average of 1.1 cm in length, 1.5 mm            cleft, decurrent, style; 9 mm in length, 75B, base N155A,            stigma; 1.5 mm in diameter, cleft, decurrent in shape, 70B            in color, ovary; 169A to 169B, top 144A.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 2, filaments; 76D in color, average of            1.5 mm in length, anthers; narrow oblong, 0.5 mm in length,            0.25 mm in width, 164B, pollen; none.        -   Fruit and seed.—Observed to be sterile with no viable seeds            formed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named‘Bocoffla’ as herein illustrated and described.